Alligator Army

Nick Calathes: Know when to fold them

mlmintampa — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 01:10:31 -0000

One under reported story this basketball season so far is the $600 Nick Calathes lost in online poker. The reports from the Gainesville Sun, AP and Yahoo all imply that Calathes is in the clear, just stupid for losing $600 in online poker. However, Yahoo's reporting of former walkon Michael Weisenberg might be the more troubling factoid. Apparently, Weisenberg has dabbled in drugs and now is a hanger on, despite leaving the basketball team. Although, if you had to guess who was the one who started leaking information about the inquiry (investigation I think is too strong a word here), Weisenberg is my guess.

But let's get back to Calathes. No one should be concerned with a $600 lost by a college student in online poker. If you ask any college male, especially at UF, they know people who have lost more at live games or online. Poker has become part of the UF experience. The difference is by junior and senior year, you realize $100 a week on poker (or worse, Ocala Jai Alai) is the dumbest thing you can do in Gainesville next to punching a police horse. (Third is eating at the 13^th Street Waffle House between 2-6am.) In my own case, I stopped playing when I had something better to spend money on; a girlfriend.

College basketball and gambling have had a relationship since the days of the 1950s' CCNY and the New York mob, to point shaving at Arizona State and Toledo recently. Calathes did nothing wrong, let's remember that. But as a public figure, Calathes has to keep his head on a swivel. And this applies to all college athletes. The attention on the Florida Gators is just as intense, if not more, than the Miami Heat or Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Someone less friendly or looking to make for themselves will catch you drinking a beer underage, or making out with a girl or worse. Being a crappy poker player is not a crime. But in the court of public opinion, everyone is guilty. It's a bit unlucky, but as poker player Phil Hellmuth said, "If luck wasn't involved, I'd win every time." And Calathes has lost more than 600 bucks here. He has lost a level of trust.

Obama Tells '60 Minutes' He Wants A Playoff

mlmintampa — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 16:38:26 -0000

President-Elect Barack Obama has created quite a stir this weekend. First, his staff floats the idea of Sen. Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State, one of the few people who would have the skills to save the department after eight years of neglect. Then, this;

"If you've got a bunch of teams who play throughout the season, and many of them have one loss or two losses, there's no clear decisive winner. We should be creating a playoff system," he tells CBS' Steve Kroft in an interview to be broadcast Sunday.

Now, relax for a minute about, "He's got better things to worry about!" You're right, he does. But, this is what a President does. George W. Bush had better things to worry about than making sure Christian organizations got federal funding, but he still pushed it throught out his whole term. Bill Clinton had pet projects as well (healthcare, interns, national lands). Plus, if President Bush called a 35-electoral vote win in 2004 a "mandate," then what is Obama's 204-electoral vote win? I think a landslide allows the guy to make statements about college football playoffs and what puppy belongs in the White House.

If Obama can convert college football to a playoff system, it will not win him any votes (although one of my Republican friends said he'd vote for Obama in 2012 if he got a playoff started). The fact that he keeps talking about it, including apparently thinking of how the structure would work, just puts him in the same place as every college football fan who wants to end the BCS. The difference is that now the most powerful man in the world is talking about it. Let's see the Big Ten and Pac-10 try to stand up to that.

Still Three Games Left

mlmintampa — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 16:07:05 -0000

Gators defeat South Carolina 56-6.

Saturday's game had the sense of a coronation. Florida was not just winning the game, but proving they are the best team in America. The defense played well enough, again, and special teams created chances for UF (as did a 25-yard lateral). On a wet track, Florida ran all over South Carolina with 346 yards on the ground. When a team runs like that, no matter if it is a power or spread system (although Urban Meyer will argue that this is a power system), they will not lose. With Harvin, Rainey, Demps and Moody (in a special guest appearance in the second half) Florida cannot be stopped on the ground. They hit opponents with too many weapons.

But there are three games left and a lot can happen between now and then. There could be injuries, suspensions, or massive riots at the student union over a girl. Who knows what the next three weeks hold for the Florida Gators? If there is one negative to take away is that Tebow would miss Aaron Hernandez and Riley Cooper when they were open (Cooper spent half the game with his arms out, wondering where the ball was). He also wasn't leading guys like he should. But then he throws two gems to Thompson and Hernandez and you realize the kid has a cannon with the touch to drop one in.

But three weeks is an eternity. Florida will beat the Citadel next week, then get The School Out West. If Florida wins those two games, the SEC Championship is a National Semifinal with the winner going to the BCS title. But the same fire they have shown the last few weeks must continue. They cannot let up for one second.

Game Ten: South Carolina @ Florida

mlmintampa — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 14:44:12 -0000

Today, one Steven Spurrier will saunter onto the greenest patch of grass in America in a building he built, if not added a massive skybox complex to. Younger alumni and students might over look the OBC because all we know South Carolina is 0-11 in Gainesville. Older alumni, who might have actually seen Spurrier play, love him and fear him. They don't care about the 0-11. They know if there is one guy who knows how to crush the Gators' dreams, it's Spurrier. While the Gators are big favorites and have historical dominance against the Gamecocks, Spurrier is the wild card. And if he gives South Carolina their first victory in Gainesville tonight, I guarantee traffic jams as everyone gets out of town as soon as possible.

In other news, basketball opened their season with a win last night, defeating a legit Toledo 80-58. Dan Werner was the leading scorer with 19, despite this exchange outside of the O'Dome after the game.

Guy in Sperrys: "Man, Werner looked terrible."

Guy in Sperrys and Polo hat: "He was the leading scorer!"

Guy in Sperrys: "Yeah, but he looked like shit doing it. He always does."

Ladies and Gentlemen, The Dan Werner Experience!

Seriously though, Werner did take 14 shots (he made 8; but no one else attempted more than 7) and was his usual 1-4 from the three-point line. Nick Calathes was great with 16 points and 7 assists. When he is not on the floor, it's a bit of a fire drill, but freshman Erving Walker might be a nice sub. He had 7 assists, including a few on fast breaks. With Walker, it is a smaller lineup, but would be a change of pace. Allen Chaney, in only 18 minutes, had six points and five boards and could make a nice lineup with Parsons, Werner, Tyus and Calathes. All those guys are long, and Chaney and Parsons (after hitting the weight room) could bang down low too.

Classic Moments In Championship Mode: Jarvis Moss

mlmintampa — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:15:22 -0000

Seasons are defined by moments that come out of nowhere. This is one of them; South Carolina vs. Florida, 2006. Turn up your speakers for the full effect.

The 2006 South Carolina game was big because it was Spurrier's first game back in Gainesville but also because of what it became for that Gator team. Not only was South Carolina a legit team, but the Gators were losing 16-10 in the fourth quarter and scored on their final drive. In a test of offense, defense and special teams, the Gators came out alive.

But this goes back to my original point; every championship team has those moments where you go, "My God, what just happened?" To use a recent local example, on Sept. 9 the Tampa Bay Rays had a half game lead on the Boston Red Sox when Sox closer Johnathan Paplebon came in to close an expected 4-3 win for Boston after they had just scored the leading runs an inning before. Then, Dan Johnson (DAN JOHNSON!), who was called up that afternoon, smacked a game-tying homer. Dioner Navarro would double in the winning run later in the inning. The Rays won another close game the next night and eventually beat the Sox for the American League pennant. When asked later in the season when did they know their team was special, several Rays players pointed to Johnson's homer.

For me and the Gators, it was the LSU game this season. The Tigers were a bit shorthanded, but are still the defending champs and have crushing speed. This was also UF's first home game after getting giggityed by Ole Miss. But the moment was Percy Harvin's 70 yard TD to open the game off of LSU's Danny McCray's tip. If McCray catches it, the air goes out of the building. Instead, Florida was off to a blow out and showed a national audience they are the fastest team in the fastest conference in America. (Hello Jeff Demps!) Since then, the Gators have had guns blazing and are playing to destroy people.

I will be in Gainesville in a few hours for an awesome sports weekend which includes women's soccer today in the NCAAs against California at 4pm and basketball's opening night against Toledo at 6pm. Sunday would also be a soccer-basketball doubleheader if the women win and face the winner of UCF-Miami. Basketball plays Bradley at 2pm Sunday. I'll see you there and for those of you who know me too well; Choo Choo.

(NOTE: South Carolina is NOT a Championship Mode game. Next Championship Mode games are FSU and Alabama in the SEC title game. Championship Mode can only be applied retroactively to non-rivalry/non-title games. Thanks.)

FSU Football Fight Club

mlmintampa — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 23:23:32 -0000

I knew this would be a good weekend when I got my hotel reservations for Gainesville, but hot damn the celebrating is starting early!

Several of Florida State's top receivers were involved in a fight on campus today at the student union, but early reports from sources indicate the players involved were defending a teammate who was sucker-punched by an unidentified student.

First of all sucker punches are never fun. But riots between football players and frat brothers are freaking hil-arious. (This is what got Ron Zook on Jeremy Foley’s bad side. That and losing to Mississippi State.) Some websites are reporting this stemmed from a chance encounter with a young lady at a club (same thing happened to me when I was in my riots at Reitz Union). In that case, we’ll take the side of the FSU player (reportedly Taiwan Easterling) who was jumped because that’s what a GDI would do. Although, the best line comes from our friends at Tomahawk Nation;

I forgot that Wednesday is "Market Wednesday" in the Union. Market Wednesday basically consists of local merchants peddling their goods. Some student organizations demonstrate, and some African American fraternities do their step routines as well. All on Wednesday. The place is pretty rowdy.

My goodness, what the hell is going on in Tallahassee? The FSU Union is “rowdy”? Again, like I said, hil-arious. Of course, please note that Myron Rolle is a Rhodes Scholar candidate. No seriously. Please. FSU insists.

(By the way, I am aware that Ronnie Wilson fired a gun like he was an Iraqi celebrating the fall of Saddam, Jacques Rickerson tried to choke out his girlfriend and Jamar Hornsby stole a dead girl’s credit card. But those were all sad, not hil-arious. Ok, maybe Ronnie Wilson was funny.)

2008-09 Florida Gators Basketball Preview

mlmintampa — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 18:12:25 -0000

Tuesday night Al Horford had 27 points and 17 rebounds in his team's sixth consecutive victory to start the season.

Yes, Big Al is with the Atlanta Hawks now and it says something about the fall to mediocrity the Gators took last season. That line used to describe a Gator game. Now, two years past, we are still looking from someone to take the torch from Horford, Noah, Brewer and Green. This season is as much about the team as it is one player; Nick Calathes.

The Gators do not have the horses to win the SEC, much less the division. They don't have the old men to inspire a run like Georgia did either. (I'm getting the negativity out of the way now.) What Florida does have is a core group of players who got burned last season when they thought the name on their jersey guaranteed them a NCAA spot. Do they have the talent? Sure. Do they have the will to compete? Well, it is time to find out.

Last year, I outed myself as someone who was not convinced in the Nick Calathes Experience. In victories, he'd fill a boxscore. In losses, he contributed as much as the student section; just another person in a Gator jersey. He is the most talented player on the team and with the losses of Marreese Speights and Jai Lucas, he must lead the team this season. No more disappearing for 20 minutes at a time.

Lucas leaving is a blessing for the Gators. I wish him well, but for Lucas to bounce this close to the start of the season is a reflection on what has been happening in practice. Assumptions are not always correct, but it's not crazy to say Calathes will run the offense at the point, effectively pushing out Lucas who was exposed last season. Calathes belongs at the point and it was only a matter of time before Lucas realized this.

So now what happens now? Calathes needs to be able to carry the team when necessary but also push along a young front line with Alex Tyus and Chandler Parsons rotated with Kenny Kadji and Allan Chaney. Calathes is a sophomore like Tyus and Parsons and just a year older than Kadji and Chaney, but Calathes is (hopefully) mature enough to work them into the offense. We will see how this dynamic works in out-of-conference play and amend this prior to the SEC season. (I don't trust preseason stats, especially since lame duck Lucas got 20 minutes in the first game.)

I'll be in Gainesville this weekend and we will all get a better sense of the club when they play a real team (apologizes to Warner and Rollins College). Friday night UF plays Toledo and they return four starters. Plus, they have a chucker;

Tyrone Kent is a dangerous scoring threat, but that is mainly because he shoots way too much. The guard took over 400 shots this past season, netting just 36.3 percent of those attempts.

Well played Mr. Kent!

Bradley is a different story. They made the NIT last season (hey, just like the Gators!) but lost a significant amount of scoring in their backcourt. Like the typical mid-major, they have restocked with juco players. They are good enough to challenge the Gators, so they cannot just show up Sunday.

The Gators have one strength that continues. Billy Donovan is still a great coach who built a program out of nothing. Without Billy at the helm, there would not be as much confidence in the Gators this season. Whether this turns out to be a Sweet 16 season or another dud will depend on Billy's ability to inspire the team. Let's hope he can do it and Nick Calathes leads the way.

SECcccc you in Atlanta and the Death of Officiating

mlmintampa — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 16:19:01 -0000

All you can ask for is for your team have a clear path to the National Championship and that is what the Gators have this morning. With terribly overrated Penn State out of the way, if Florida wins out, they go to the BCS title game. While Boise State and Utah will have something to say about this (perhaps they can form one superconference and shut up about being left out?), the BCS championship is rightly the winners of the Big 12 and SEC; the two best conferences. Although, if the Big 12 South winner (Texas Tech, Texas or Oklahoma) gets upset in the Big 12 title game, that throws a wrench into the gears. At that point the most deserving teams would be teams who did not win their divisions or Penn State. Which means...

President-Elect Barack Obama has to step in and implement the eight-team playoff he talked about Monday on ESPN. He's not president yet, so he can't make policy decisions, but he can throw his influence around. Maybe he can get Joe Biden (who attended Delaware and the I-AA playoffs) to show off his statesman skills and bring together the superconferences. Of course, the playoff could have been another look into the Obama campaign's strategy of "no stone unturned"; apparently college football fans are more likely to go to the polls than their counterparts. What better way to get them to the polls than making a playoff as part of your platform?

More pressing right now than who is president is the horrific state of officiating in college football. In the Penn State-Iowa and UF-Vandy games, officials blew two goal line fumble calls. With Penn State, QB Daryll Clark fumbled the ball and it appeared to be recovered by Iowa in the end zone. However, the call on the field was PSU recovered at the 1. This call happened AFTER the whistle blew. Because of that, the decision of touchdown Iowa, safety Iowa, or PSU recovery was put in the hands of the replay booth. What did they do? PSU ball at the one, despite Clark only having one hand on the ball and an Iowa defender had it in his belly.

Later in the evening, Percy Harvin dove over the pile and broke the plane, apparently scoring a touchdown. But when the ball hit the goal line, it loosened in Harvin's hand, and was ripped out after the whistle should have been blown (Harvin was flat on the ground). Vandy was awarded the ball at the 20 and replay upheld the call. In both cases, officials gave the benefit of the doubt to one team, rather than assessing the actions on the field. The officials in question refused to make a call and chose to leave the decisions in the hands of the replay officials who have to decide what the officials saw. Remember, the replay officials can only overturn if they see indisputable evidence. In both questions they refused to overrule because something popped out at them (Clark's one hand on the ball, Harvin having the ball jar loose) that they assume was the reasoning for the field officials decision.

This is incredibly important because a game will turn on a decision like this. Everyone; announcers, coaches, fans, sees the play. But the officials operate in an alternate universe where logic is thrown out.

Game Nine: Florida @ Vanderbilt

mlmintampa — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 19:11:07 -0000

Questions for today's game:

1. Are we going to see a focused Gator team or one that keeps reliving the Georgia game?

2. Will Meyer protect Tebow and limit his carries to keep him fresh for a possible SEC title game?

3. If Florida wins, do they get Alabama or LSU in Atlanta?

Answers are coming.

Go Vote

mlmintampa — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 09:00:10 -0000

Today is Election Day. Be a patriot and vote. Here are the Alligator Army endorsements from the primary, and yes, it's McCain vs. Obama in the general election. Those of you who know me where I stand on the political divide. But today, make your decision.

Urban Meyer as Steve Spurrier

mlmintampa — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 23:13:40 -0000

Florida Gators defeat Georgia Bulldogs 49-10.

We have witnessed one of the great "Fuck You" moments in sports; Urban Meyer calling timeouts in the final minute of a 49-10 victory over a rival who had smeared you a year before. Well played, Urban. And well fucking played Timmy Tebow. Less than 200 yards of total offense and 5 TDs? An efficient ass kicking. It was a game of a different era; a throwback to the 1990's ass kickings Florida would deliver in the Bold New City of The South. And it was fun.

Game Eight: Florida vs. Georgia

mlmintampa — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 13:37:57 -0000

VS.

My only Florida-Georgia game came in 2005 when the 14th ranked Gators rose up and took out the undefeated #4 Bulldogs. At the time, there was a perception that Georgia still needed to prove themselves, so maybe they weren't the fourth best team. But it was another chapter in the current history of Florida-Georgia; the Gators will always win.

Now Georgia fans have an argument beyond the history of the rivalry but they have also awakened a Sleeping Giant. Those of us who came of age in the Spurrier Era sent more hatred to Florida State and Tennessee. Now we finally see what all those old Gators were talking about. Nice job, Georgia. The generation of Gator fans who have experienced more athletic success than any other, now hate you.

Classic Moments In Championship Mode: Reggie F. Nelson

mlmintampa — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 11:43:00 -0000

Reggie Nelson still holds the record for most consecutive games played in Championship Mode. I could watch this all day.

Speaking of Championship Mode, this is the biggest game of Tim Tebow's life and it comes in the same week that the Gray Lady (New York Times for those of you that don't read the East Coast Liberal Media Elite Newspapers That Are Not Pro-America) has a tremendous profile and interview about the junior quarterback. Last week's Jeff Demps profile was not the kiss of death, so we should not expect this one to be either. Perhaps The Legend of Tim Tebow will live no matter what, but he needs to beat Georgia tomorrow. No one wants to go to a Florida-Georgia game in a few years and have a Georgia sorority girl in a red cocktail dress and fake boobs tell you how Tebow never beat the Dogs. Come on Timmy, let's go.

Game Seven: Kentucky @ Florida

mlmintampa — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 13:27:26 -0000

Last year when the Gators faced the Wildcats, Florida won, but the season was shot as the loss to Georgia the week after submarined any hopes at a division title and chance at the SEC. Florida not only has to win, but to protect their quarterback and spread the ball around, so one player does not bare all the burden.

Which brings me to Jeff Demps, who has a write up this week in the New York Times. Saying he might be, "the fastest man in pads," the Times notes that no other college player has run as fast as Demps' 10.01 in the Olympic trials. And this is as a college freshman. Imagine how fast he will get as he gets older. One other note; look at the pictures in the article. In the sprinting and football photos, Demps is running exactly the same with one hand cutting across and the other flaired out. Perhaps this is a concidence, but if it is accurate, it is the reason why Demps is so fast in pads. He is running exactly the same, no matter the sport.

One more thing, political junkies might have heard the story of the McCain campaign volunteer in Pittsburgh who made up a story about being attacked by a black man because she had McCain stickers on her car. When she was arrested yesterday for falsifying a police report, she was wearing a Tennessee sweatshirt. I don't know if this is an omen for McCain, Tennessee or both.

Kentucky: Question and Answer Time

mlmintampa — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 11:04:01 -0000

We exchanged questions with A Sea of Blue, previewing Saturday's game against Kentucky. My questions and their answers follow. For the oppo, visit A Sea of Blue.

With the Dicky Lyons and Derrick Locke injuries, where does the offense for the Cats come from?

Kentucky was really unlucky to lose Lyons for the season (unlucky for Dicky, too). The only player that we have right now who has shown the ability to get open and do damage is true freshman Randall Cobb, the man who was most responsible from snatching victory from the crushing jaws of defeat last week. Cobb is exciting. He can catch the football. He returns punts. He is a dual-threat quarterback. He is a leader at a tender age. He is Kentucky's answer to Tim Tebow for the Gators two years ago when Tebow was a freshman.

When it comes to Locke, we are very fortunate to have four good tailback options. Locke was the best of the bunch, but just barely. Alfonso Smith is almost as fast as Locke, Tony Dixon is an experienced and skilled tailback, and Moncell Allen is short in stature, but broad in the beam and likes to leave footprints on linebacker's chests. The coaching staff especially liked what Moncell Allen did last week. Because UK has such depth at the spot, Locke was a loss that didn't hurt nearly as bad as Lyons, although losing any player with Locke's abilitys always hurts, particularly in the return game.
Jeopardy! style, "This is the man who will give Tim Tebow problems."

Who is Micah Johnson?

Johnson is our bone-crushing middle linebacker, one of the highest-ranked recruits Kentucky has ever landed and a sure All-SEC pick this year. He isn't 100%, but even at 90% he is a fearsome, awe-inspiring presence on the field at a chiseled 6'2"/250# of man-eating intensity. Any offensive player with a brain should fear him.
As you mention in your questions, UK is first in SEC scoring defense. How much of this is legit and how much of it is the quality of teams UK faced to start the season? (To be fair, UF's sched isn't world beaters either.)

Kentucky has a legit defense, but if we substituted SEC games for all the easier games in the schedule, UK's defense would probably not be leading the league in scoring defense. I figure UK would be in the top three or four, though.

Right now, our defense is pretty banged up, and four or five starters are either unable to go or are operating at diminished capacity, including our best defensive tackle, Myron Pryor, who has the dreaded high ankle sprain. As you well know, year in and year out Kentucky's greatest weakness, like all teams of UK's caliber, is depth. We are deeper at defense than we have ever been this year, but when enough injuries start to pile up, it takes a toll.

So if you want to assign a percentage, you could say that between 15 and 25% of UK's defensive ranking is due to playing a fairly weak schedule early in the year. On the other hand, our defense is at least 15-20% less effective right now due to injury than it would be otherwise. Obviously, that doesn't bode well for playing the #1 SEC offense in the Gators after a bye week, but that is how the schedule goes.
UK is first in kick off returns and the Gators return game sucks (9th, but it plays like they are 13th). Is this the way UK can close the gap? And if so you will be the guy making Gator fans clutch their hearts? (Note: The Gators coverage sucks but I make it seem as if the return game sucks. Poorly worded question.)

It's an interesting dichotemy -- Kentucky's kickoff coverage is better on the road than at home, and the Gators are about the same in both places. But on the road, Kentucky is 11th in kick returns. Given that, I don't think the return game is going to help UK too much, although you never know. Up until the last two games, UK had been wonderful on special teams all year, but much less so since we left Tuscaloosa.

Derrick Locke's loss will be felt most on kick returns, since he was our best at that spot, having taken one to the house this year. Locke was having a bit of trouble hanging on to the ball lately, though, which hurt him returning the ball. We'll just have to see if Smith, Dixon, or Ford can do better, or even as well. If there is any player the Gators should fear in the kicking game, it is Alfonso Smith. If he gets a step, you won't seen anything but his backside. But then again, I'm not 100% sure he will be returning kicks.
Four turnovers vs. Arky, and two each vs. South Carolina and Bama...problem of focus or youth?

Both. Let's take the most recent game as representative. Against Arkansas, UK had two fumbles and two interceptions. One interception was the result of a good defensive play -- Hartline was hit just as he was coming down on his throwing motion, which caused the ball to sail into the arms of a defender. One interception was the result of poor execution on a play made when we needed a score badly. Hartline underthrew a ball into single coverage, and the young receiver and DB had a "jump ball." The receiver lost.

Both fumbles were the result of a lack of focus. Locke fumbled a short pass trying to turn and run with it before securing the football. The other turnover was caused by DeMoreo Ford, a punt returner, not getting away from the football when he let it hit. He just did the wrong thing and the football touched him. It was a lazy play that cost us a score, and Brooks didn't send him out to return punts after that -- he sent Randall Cobb, whom Brooks knows he can trust not to do something lazy or silly.
Seven wins guarantee a bowl game for Kentucky; where do those two more wins come from?

Good question, and the answer is that we have a somewhat favorable schedule remaining after the Florida game. UK has two very winnable games left on our schedule, and two upset possibilities. Mississippi State and Vanderbilit have to be considered winnable games -- the Bulldogs are struggling and we get Vandy at home. Georgia has to come to Kentucky, and I see that as an upset possibility -- they will be coming into commonwealth after having faced LSU in Death Valley and you guys in the Cocktail Party. That's a meat-grinder, and those games figure to deplete the Dawgs whether they win or lose. Since their offense has been somewhat challenged in the red zone this year, I figure we have as good a shot against them as we ever will. UK has pulled off a major upset in each of the last two years, and I figure that's our best bet this year.

Then, there is Tennessee down in Knoxville after a week off. Tough to figure that game. UT has been playing poorly this year, but could turn in around this weekend against 'Bama in the Third Saturday in October. But we will be coming off a bye week and UT off what promises to be a bloody rivalry game with Vanderbilt. So again, there is a chance for us to pick up yet another win.

I place our chances at coming away 7-5 or better at about 65-70% right now, assuming no more major injuries.
Your prediction; and BONUS! Does Patrick Patterson become the focus of the Cats' offense or is he not ready? And since your jerseys are Secretariat inspired (well played, Kentucky), will Patterson go by "Big Red"?

Prediction: The Gator streak can't go on forever. I'm picking UK in an upset, 31-30 (Does that score sound familiar? :-)).

BONUS: Patrick Patterson will unquestionably be the focus of the UK offense in basketball this year, ready or not. And he will not go by "Big Red" -- Just doesn't work for him, I think. Plus, that's Western Kentucky's mascot name -- somehow, I don't think Pat would find that particularly amusing. :-) But Patterson will be our horse, make no mistake.

Thanks so much to our friends at A Sea of Blue who are gentlemen and scholars.

I'm Sorry

mlmintampa — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 13:30:26 -0000

An email I got yesterday...

Has the blog ceased? The last post I can see is dated October 13, 2008.

No kids, I have been really busy at work and will be until Nov. 4 (that should give you a hint as to what industry I work in). But we will have a UK preview tomorrow thanks to or friends at A Sea Of Blue and HATE GEORGIA week returns next week. I've already asked my dog Bella if she will write that game preview. By the way, our emailer also wrote this;

With your guidance and encouragement, our contingent at the LSU game demonstrated Championship Mode and thoroughly enjoyed the game.

Beautiful. But I will not rest until Urban Meyer or Billy Donovan uses "Championship Mode" in one of those cheesy post-game interviews with Steve Babik or Mark Wise. And to complete my apology; the latest from Confetti and Breadcrumb, featuring Jo Noah.

The Neutral Site Question

mlmintampa — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 09:00:07 -0000

During a simpler time as a student in Gainesville, a few of us got to host "Sports Scene" on AM850 when host Steve Russell was on the road or on vacation or sick. He knew we were all knowledgeable but that people would not call in because we were just students. To get callers, he made a point of having us throw out questions. (Or what I usually did, telling all of North Central Florida that Steve Spurrier was overrated. Good times!) One question was always the neutral site game. We bring it back today. Here are my suggestions, complete with location and reasons. Drop yours in the comments or in the poll. Remember the pros of the neutral site game are increased revenue (no student tickets sold below market value), increased exposure and giving Gator ex-pats a chance to see the team. Cons are less revenue for the concessions and Gainesville and losing home field advantage.

Gators vs...

Army (in Giants Stadium), Navy (Jacksonville), Air Force (Tampa, Orlando): Service academies would be fun, plus they usually have to play near military bases for travel. Playing Army in New York gives northern Gators a chance to see the team, plus exposure. Navy (in a huge Naval city) and Air Force (in cities near air bases) provide an interesting and compelling, if not competitive, game.

California (San Francisco): This is more because Cal is what UF aspires to be; a dominant public school in a great university system. If UF wants to compete with Cal, North Carolina and Texas to be among America's great public universities, the first place to start is in sports.

Georgia Tech (Atlanta): Restores an ancient rivalry when Tech was in the SEC and Atlanta is not a stretch for the Gators to travel. But Tech might not agree to play in a neutral site, with a neutral site financial cut, only a few miles from campus. The older Gators should get to see a home-and-home between these two before kick the bucket. Atlanta also has one of the largest UF alumni populations.

Notre Dame (Chicago): Another big market against a historic team. Plus, you make all the Irish fans crap themselves when they realize how much they are paying Charlie Weis to suck and Florida rolls 50 on them. Game would also expose SEC football to the talent in the Chicago high schools and show them the world beyond the Big Eleven.

Rutgers (Giants Stadium): Rutgers now has a decent on-campus stadium, and might turn down a neutral site game at Giants Stadium as they did for Notre Dame. But a package deal of two games or a future home-and-home might swing it. Plus, the New York media market.

Virginia or Virginia Tech (Washington): USC played at UVA and played VaTech in DC, so both teams have experience with out-of-conference games of this level. VaTech might be more likely because of their record of scheduling tough out-of-conference, LSU most recently. Big alumni base in Mid-Atlantic too.

Poll

Should Florida play a second neutral site game each season?

Yes

24 votes

No

51 votes

75 votes | Poll has closed

Gators Take Advantage of Seismic Shift In SEC

mlmintampa — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 19:19:03 -0000

Florida Gators defeat LSU Tigers 51-21

So, what do we think now? Which sample is the outlier? The Ole Miss loss? The destruction of LSU, who will surely recover and beat the hell out of Alabama because that is how the SEC works this season? (Note to Bama fans: Face it, no one makes it out of the conference alive. You don't want your loss to Auburn again, do you?) How is it possible that the Gators, following two games where they looked lifeless (even if they were 1-1), roll 50 on LSU with the vigor of a frat guy on free beer night at Grog?

The question is now, are we all even? UGA, Florida, LSU all have one loss and Vandy is hoping now for the Outback Bowl (CROOOOOMED teams do not win division titles). Auburn has ended their season as has Tennessee. With Alabama keeping the dream alive, we are back to the four heavyweights throwing haymakers and everyone else playing Buster Douglas.

The new AP poll has Florida at five now, the biggest poll jump since Obama post-McCain campaign suspension. Are they five? They don't look like it. They look like one or two. Just as the emotions and attitudes of the fan base will rise and fall this season, so will apparently the Gators' output. The Gators held the Tigers to 4-13 on third down, a huge mark especially in the first half. The 19 total first downs for LSU is an outlier; LSU had three scoring drives and three more ended by a turnover or punt. That was a bend-don't break defense in the model of 2006, complete with The Major Wright doing his Reggie F. Nelson impression. The three scores to start the game for UF added to the body blows the defense registered, but more impressively offensively was the way the Gators stepped on LSU's throat with two demoralizing TD drives in the third.

Percy Harvin was in Heisman form, as was Tim Tebow. But, watching Jeff Demps run is unbelievable. Chris Rainey is fast too (although who knows after his apparent shoulder injury). But Demps is world class sprinter speed. While LSU has those guys too, Demps can change direction and more importantly has field vision. You cannot teach speed and you cannot teach how to find holes. But if Brandon James is already "Cold Blooded Brandon James" what will be Demps' nickname? Use the bye week to figure that one out.

Game Six: LSU @ Florida

mlmintampa — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 11:59:41 -0000

The Gators do not need to play with a sense of panic, but they need to be aware of the remifications of their actions. Lose and start looking up at the rest of the league like last season. Win and start to save the season. Maybe we're all crazy for wanting our team to be undefeated or have one loss, but that is what we expect. Mediocrity will not be tolerated.

Classic Moments In Championship Mode: LSU @ Florida, 2006

mlmintampa — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 11:17:14 -0000

It's hard to remember now, but The Legend of Tim Tebow began with a play-action pass against LSU in 2006.

One of my worst losses as a student was the 2002 LSU-UF game when I realized Ron Zook did not have the mental capacity to coach in the SEC and the Gators lost 36-7. But since that game, the series has been extremely close, defined not by the offensive stars on each side, but whose defense steps up. Last season, if the Gators defense makes one stand, UF doesn't blow a 10 point 4th quarter lead and lose 28-24. In 2006, Tebow's jump pass made youtube, but it was the Gator defense with back-breaking takeaways, including one inside the UF 3-yard line. In '05 and '04, the game turned when LSU was able to keep the Gators scoreless late in the game.

We all know that the SEC is a league of offensive innovation (Fun 'n Gun, Spread, Wild Hog/Rebel, the Feature Back, Track team as wideouts), but it is the defense that wins games. So what does this all mean for you?

Wait, what does this mean for me? Uh?

Yes, you see, Championship Mode is very important in this game. By the time this game happens Saturday night, we will know if Tennessee pulled off the unthinkable and defeated Georgia. While that won't change anything (unless Vandy loses at Miss. State), it gives UF a psychological advantage. The Ole Miss loss is still around this team's neck. If the fans show up half-assed and more interested in hooking up or getting wasted, they will not be in Championship Mode nor will the team be in Championship Mode. I feel very strongly about this. Defense in college football is carried by the fans. You think they wave their arms to keep their pits cool? No jackass. They want you involved in the game. And stand up, you go to Florida, not Miami. I don't care if it's a replay review.

Maybe when you go to Bucs or Dolphins games (no one goes to Jags games), you can text your girl or worry about thinks like, "Brah, did that dude 8 rows away look at me funny? Because I will totally punch him!" You go to Florida. You are there to drive the team to victory. I do not care how cute she looks in that sundress. (Besides, a victory will make it a lot easier to get that girl.) And a victory only arrives if you embrace Championship Mode. I trust that you will make the right decision and lead the Gators back on the right track to a SEC Championship.

(By the way, this is a great Championship Mode weekend; LSU vs. UF and Red Sox vs. Rays. Enjoy yourselves.)